


slow burn

by the_mixed_up_files_of_me



Category: Dear Evan Hansen - Pasek & Paul/Levenson
Genre: F/M, and I desperately want more content for them, their dynamic is everything to me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-01
Updated: 2017-09-01
Packaged: 2018-12-22 09:33:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11964639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_mixed_up_files_of_me/pseuds/the_mixed_up_files_of_me
Summary: ❛She doesn't fall for him all at once...It's a slow burn, a slowly escalating wave that climbs higher and higher, a burning temperature that rises every single day.Until it peaks.❜





	slow burn

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I'm back with another Jalana fic! I hope you all enjoy it. Thank you for all the love and support, you all mean so much to me <3

They still talk, even after The Connor Project disbands and is forgotten about, as everyone expected it would. At first, Alana had planned to never speak to Jared or Evan or anyone involved again.

But despite this resolve, she finds herself picking up the phone when she's alone and lonely. Jared randomly texts her pictures that make no sense but they always make her laugh and she begins to enjoy it. 

And she starts spending more time with Jared, not because she has to anymore but because she finds herself actually wanting to.

Truth be told, he makes her laugh and not just anyone can make Alana Beck laugh.

-

Alana doesn't understand why it bothers her that he is going out with a girl from their class.

She doesn't understand why there's a knot in her chest when she sees him talk to that girl in school, or why she feels a swell of dissatisfaction whenever he holds that girl's hand.

When Jared confides to her that he really isn't hitting it off with the girl after all and that they're breaking up, it assuages the anxiety in Alana that she didn't know she felt towards the situation until now.

-

She doesn't fall for him all at once.

It isn't like in the movies, where all of a sudden she looks over at him and feels the butterflies in her chest.

It isn't like in the movies, when she suddenly gets tongue tied and can't force out any words because _dang he's cute_.

It's a slow burn, a slowly escalating wave that climbs higher and higher, a burning temperature that rises every single day.

Until it peaks.

-

They're studying, studying for another test, bantering back and forth about calculus, rambling about school and their classmates.

"Please," Alana says and rolls her eyes, "As if you think I couldn't get with one of your little nerdy friends."

Jared scrunches up his face. "You really couldn't, they have a thing against the honour roll students."

"Maybe if they stopped using their smarts in video games and actually did their schoolwork, they'd be honour roll students too," Alana replies in mock indignation. Jared smiles and rubs his glasses on the edge of his shirt.

"You have a good point there," Jared allows. Tilting his head slightly, sliding his glasses back into place, he continues, "I don't imagine you dating anyone from our school."

Alana laughs. "I don't know, there are some cute guys at our school."

"Name one."

"Well, you aren't hideous, for starts."

"Gee, thanks. I'll be sure to mention you when I accept my Academy Award for being the coolest dude in this hick town." Jared pauses a moment, a strange look dawning on his face. "Wait a minute...is that your screwed up version of saying that you think I'm cute?"

Alana can feel her pulse escalating, for reasons unknown to her. "Oh shut up, if I thought you were cute, I'd have said so."

"You said that you don't think I'm hideous which means...I'm cute."

"I did not say that," Alana retorts.

Why do her palms feel clammy and her heart feel like it's competing with a racehorse? Is he hitting too close to home? For being an honour roll student, she's ignorant of all matters concerning emotions. The euphoric buildup inside of her system right now reminds her of when she won the class spelling quiz last year.

Except there's nothing to win right now, is there?

Maybe there is.

Alana is certain that there is no air left in the room as the heavy weight of realisation seems to physically hit her.

_Oh no. Oh god no._

_I like Jared Kleinman?_

_This can't be possible, not with Jared of all people in the universe._

It occurs to her that he's still staring at her. He must have said something and is waiting for a response, judging by the look on his face.

Alana needs space to think out this newfound discovery. _If it's true, if I really do like him, it **would** explain a lot of things that have been up in the air._

Alana is itching to move. She stands up, so abruptly that she almost knocks over the textbooks.

"You ok?" Jared is looking at her quizzically.

"Uh, yeah, I just remembered that I have somewhere to be." Alana's voice sounds unnatural, her words feel awkward. "Bye, Jared, see you later."

And she flies out the Kleinman's front door, rapidly walking down the driveway and onto the street. Walking home would provide the needed time to process all of this.

Except she doesn't get to.

"Alana!"

She keeps walking. All she wants is space to think this through clearly.

And now he's decided to follow her down the street which Alana has decidedly mixed feelings about.

"Alana, I have not worked out a day in my life and I don't plan to start so please slow down."

Alana comes to a stop, so sudden and abrupt that Jared is surprised. He catches up to her and immediately asks, "What the heck was that in there?"

"What do you mean?" Alana asks, knowing full well exactly what he means.

"Why did you freak out like that?" Jared wants to know.

"I did not freak out."

"Um, yeah you did." He hesitates before adding, "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, you're fine," Alana replies truthfully.

Jared is thinking, she can see it on his face. He's trying to connect the dots and line things up in his mind, figure her out like she's one of the questions on the calculus tests.

A smile breaks out across his face and it sends a tingle down her spine. "Oh, I get it."

Alana doesn't say anything, her mouth dry.

Jared reaches out, hooking his fingers onto her belt and pulling her closer, their hips bumping into each other. "You think I'm cute," he says with an unmistakable smirk.

Alana's heart is a drum in her chest and her smile is a giveaway despite when she says, "I didn't say that."

"Oh, you totally did."

"Maybe..."

"Really. Just a maybe?"

"Alright, I did. You win." In a spell of courage, Alana leans forward meeting his lips with her's and she can feel him smiling against her mouth. The tension that captured her muscles relaxes; Alana feels herself melt slowly, in the way that only Jared makes her feel.

It's a slow burn, finally peaking and reaching it's crescendo.

Jared's hand on her waist is secure and not letting go any time soon. "Actually, I'm pretty sure we both won."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! <3 Kudos and comments are always welcome <3


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